The Only Track You Need

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

I borrowed a co-worker's iPod today to listen Inception (I'm trying to reduce my soundtrack financial footprint, more on that here.). And I plodded through it whilst working it became obvious there was only one track worth listening to and indicative of the remainder of the score.

Really the only track you need from Inception is "Dream Within a Dream" if nothing else, it has a very cool bit of trombones down the middle. It kinda made me go WHOA now...is that Zimmer?

Would you guys happen to have any other scores that you only need one track from to share with us? Which score and what track?

[Jay 37,364]

"Confronting The Chief" from Demolition Man

Reason I bought the album, and the only good track on it

[Datameister 2,043]

"The Creation" from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Everything else = zzzzzzzzzzzz

[pixie_twinkle 48]

Main Title theme from Silvestri's The Abyss. It makes a few appearances in other tracks on the CD, but it's pretty much the only memorable theme in the entire soundtrack. At least that was my impression when I last listened through the CD, about 10 years ago.

[Jay 37,364]

I like the whole OST to The Abyss. "Fight" is cool, and all the finale tracks are nice

[Wojo 2,453]

Main Title to 99 44/100% Dead. Funny thing is, that track was offered in its entirety as a preview at Intrada, albeit at a lower bit rate.

[Marian Schedenig 8,193]

"The Creation" from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Everything else = zzzzzzzzzzzz

Sure. The rest only has one of the best love themes ever written.

[Datameister 2,043]

It's a pretty good melody, but I don't care for Doyle's orchestration, and the score as a whole just bores and/or annoys me. Still, "The Creation" is awesome.

In a very different vein, E.T. has a lot of outstanding music in it, but it's one of the few scores where you can just take the last musical sequence of the film and get all the important musical ideas wrapped up in one fifteen-minute package of musical paradise.

[Jay 37,364]

Hmmmm. That's kinda somewhat true.

Though I always enjoy listening to the end credits immediately afterward as well

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Adventure on Earth functions as both the score to the finale of the movie and a musical summation of E.T. and his...adventure on Earth.

[indy4 155]

In a very different vein, E.T. has a lot of outstanding music in it, but it's one of the few scores where you can just take the last musical sequence of the film and get all the important musical ideas wrapped up in one fifteen-minute package of musical paradise.

I disagree. For starters, the friendship theme isn't heard at all in that cue. Even for the themes included in the cue, I'd say the best way to experience them is to listen to all their variations throughout the score.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Yeah I really hope the idea isn't that E.T. is one of those scores you only need one track. That's plain silly.

[Datameister 2,043]

I'm not trying to say that that those three cues are a good substitute for the whole score...simply that they make for a very exciting and even transcendent listening experience in a way that the last fifteen minutes of most scores can't measure up to.

[Quintus 5,399]

John Barry's Midnight Cowboy theme. An essential track from a not so essential score.

Hey we need a Harmonica vs. poll - one that decides beyond a shadow of a doubt which is better - Midnight Cowboy's theme or Sugarland Express'. C'mon Josh, get it sorted!

[indy4 155]

I'm not trying to say that that those three cues are a good substitute for the whole score...simply that they make for a very exciting and even transcendent listening experience in a way that the last fifteen minutes of most scores can't measure up to.

That I agree with.

[Marian Schedenig 8,193]

It's a pretty good melody, but I don't care for Doyle's orchestration, and the score as a whole just bores and/or annoys me. Still, "The Creation" is awesome.

The action music can get a bit much, but that's due to the movie (which is, in a wonderful and never negative way, completely over the top). But the love theme gets a lot of workout in a wide range of different orchestrations. My only gripe is that some of the best versions (the use as source dance music - Doyle's specialty) are not on the album.

In a very different vein, E.T. has a lot of outstanding music in it, but it's one of the few scores where you can just take the last musical sequence of the film and get all the important musical ideas wrapped up in one fifteen-minute package of musical paradise.

But then you miss the wonderfully moody opening bits.

[Datameister 2,043]

Certainly - again, there's a lot more outstanding music in the score. My comment about E.T. was rather off-topic, because I don't think it fits what we're talking about in this thread. But it does have one track that rounds out the score in a really special way.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

I still fall asleep every time I hear that 15 minutes of cheese.

[Datameister 2,043]

Your taste in music is as bad as your taste in JWfans!

[indy4 155]

"Main Titles" from Beetlejuice is another one.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

I agree with Beetlejuice.

[Jay 37,364]

Oh my, there's a lot of fun to be had in the Beetlejuice OST.

Now that I'm at home, I'm looking at my film score CD rack. Not really any other CDs that I only like one track of... but certainly a LOT of CDs I haven't listened to in a VERY long time. Gotta do something about that

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

Your taste in music is as bad as your taste in JWfans!

I'll have you know, you were high priority when Lost was on the air!

[Datameister 2,043]

I rest my case, considering all the bull I posted about that show!

[Naïve Old Fart 9,533]

"The Asteriod Field". Everything abbout Star Wars that is stunning, both visually, and musically, is summed up in just 4 1/2 minutes.

[Marian Schedenig 8,193]

Star Wars without the Main Titles is severely incomplete. Actually, that rather bothered me when I heard the ESB suite in concert years ago. There's great stuff in the suite, but it just came out of nowhere. If I had to pick one cue from the series, it would be either the MT or probably Throne Room and End Titles (with the revised coda).

[davros72 1]

Cool, glad I'm not the only one that enjoys Patrick Doyle's Kenneth Branagh's Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Agreed that "The Creation" just absolutely rocks. And the love theme, I just adore that love theme. The arrangement played in the bedroom on their honeymoon is just beautiful, IMHO.

Having watched the film again recently, yeah the film can be a bit over-the-top, but with that source material, you almost have no choice if you want to be faithful. One of my pet peeves about it is John Cleese's false teeth, he sounds terrible when he speaks. I love some of the other minor details, like the stitching in the Creature's eyeballs.

But yeah, out of the whole CD, I'd have to stick with "The Creation."

[paleo 63]

'The Blue Planet' on the album of the same name by George Fenton. The actual underscore comes nowhere near the main title music, which is absolutely gorgeous.

[Marian Schedenig 8,193]

Having watched the film again recently, yeah the film can be a bit over-the-top, but with that source material, you almost have no choice if you want to be faithful. One of my pet peeves about it is John Cleese's false teeth, he sounds terrible when he speaks. I love some of the other minor details, like the stitching in the Creature's eyeballs.

I like the movie a lot. It has some great visuals, and one of my favourite Ian Holm moments (in the wedding scene).

'The Blue Planet' on the album of the same name by George Fenton. The actual underscore comes nowhere near the main title music, which is absolutely gorgeous.

Really? I like the theme, but it's far from my favourite bit of the music. I remember watching the first episode of the series on TV (before I had the CD) and finding the whale chase sequence awfully exciting, mostly due to the music. Fenton's best work, in my opinion.

[paleo 63]

Really? I like the theme, but it's far from my favourite bit of the music. I remember watching the first episode of the series on TV (before I had the CD) and finding the whale chase sequence awfully exciting, mostly due to the music. Fenton's best work, in my opinion.

Well, I guess that's a matter of taste. The piece (and its incarnation on the album for the movie version of the series) is on my all-time favorite list. I think it's just beautiful, whereas the rest is just adequate but often rather clumsy imo.

[Corellian2019 386]

"Confronting The Chief" from Demolition Man

Reason I bought the album, and the only good track on it

I respectfully disagree, Jason, because there are some dynamic action cues (such as "Museum Dis Duel", "Action, Guns, Fun", and "Obligatory Car Chase") that you're neglecting. And, ironically, "Confronting The Chief" is cut in half on the album. If anything, I think your opinion of the music would change for the better if the complete score was released some day.

[Hlao-roo 389]

Except for perhaps the most patient of listeners, just about any one track from Eleni Karaindrou's spare and desperately dour Ulysses' Gaze.

[Jay 37,364]

"Confronting The Chief" from Demolition Man

Reason I bought the album, and the only good track on it

I respectfully disagree, Jason, because there are some dynamic action cues (such as "Museum Dis Duel", "Action, Guns, Fun", and "Obligatory Car Chase") that you're neglecting. And, ironically, "Confronting The Chief" is cut in half on the album. If anything, I think your opinion of the music would change for the better if the complete score was released some day.

I'll certainly give it another listen when I get a chance. I bought the CD because of that track - it was used in the Men In Black teaser - and was dissapointed that the rest of the CD sounded nothing like it. But I'll listen again and judge it on its own merits.

[Wojo 2,453]

"Roar!" is the only track I need from Cloverfield.

[Jay 37,364]

I knew someone would make that joke eventually

[Ollie 1,059]

The only score I have that features one track I only listen to is Zimmer's Hannibal. And I'm getting ready to dump that CD and just keep the one track on iTunes.

Out of all my scores I cannot fathom one track making the entire score.

[Corellian2019 386]

I'll certainly give it another listen when I get a chance. I bought the CD because of that track - it was used in the Men In Black teaser - and was dissapointed that the rest of the CD sounded nothing like it. But I'll listen again and judge it on its own merits.

Interesting, I didn't know it was used for the MIB teaser. Thanks for that bit of trivia.

I'll possibly post the chronological order for the Goldenthal CD soon, so you can enjoy it even more.

[Faleel 5,349]

Building The Crate (Chicken Run) its just that simple

[Marian Schedenig 8,193]

Building The Crate (Chicken Run) its just that simple

There's a ton of other great stuff in the score.

[indy4 155]

Building The Crate (Chicken Run) its just that simple

There's a ton of other great stuff in the score.

I love that wonderful evil theme heard in "Escape from the Pie Machine."

[Faleel 5,349]

Building The Crate (Chicken Run) its just that simple

There's a ton of other great stuff in the score.

I love that wonderful evil theme heard in "Escape from the Pie Machine."

that theme is everywhere in the score

also the theme that appears in the second track "Main Titles" is used throughout the score (for example the beginning of "The Chickens are Revolting")

[Naïve Old Fart 9,533]

"No Escape", from POTA. Everything that is brilliant, and compelling about Jerry Goldsmith, in 6 minutes.

[Jeff 10]

I am perfectly satisfied with the one track I have from Danny Elfman's Dick Tracy - I think it is a suite or maybe it's the main titles. Either way, it has all the main themes, including what I would imagine is the love theme. I was watching the film a few years ago and fell in love with that theme, so I bought it. But I have no need for the rest of the score.

By the way, I think it's useless to try to boil any Star Wars film down to one track. Asteroid Field is at least in my top 20 tracks (and that's a huge compliment), but there are just so many good themes and cues, I don't think I could choose one to epitomize the franchise. Not even the Main Theme.

[indy4 155]

"No Escape", from POTA. Everything that is brilliant, and compelling about Jerry Goldsmith, in 6 minutes.

I'd say "The Hunt" (as a representation of PotA, not Jerry Goldsmith's entire life work).

[Naïve Old Fart 9,533]

"Journey To Blofeld's Hideaway", from OHMSS. Everything that is sweeping and beautiful about John Barry in 5 minutes.

[fommes 153]

Can everybody just stop listing good to great scores that have more than one good track in them?

Now, one which definitely nobody can argue with:

the first thirty seconds of Gladiator. Bought the CD just for that track back in the day.

Of course, I'll be the first to admit that, yes, 'Patricide' is somewhat interesting too.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Bahahaha! You've got to be joking.

[Jeff 10]

Can everybody just stop listing good to great scores that have more than one good track in them?

Now, one which definitely nobody can argue with:

the first thirty seconds of Gladiator. Bought the CD just for that track back in the day.

Of course, I'll be the first to admit that, yes, 'Patricide' is somewhat interesting too.

I don't know enough about Gladiator or you to know if you are joking. My favorite track from Gladiator is Gladiator Waltz, which is on the album More Music from the Motion Picture Gladiator. One of the best 8 minute + tracks I own.

[fommes 153]

Joking? No, the first track is really the only track I need. Give me Fall of the Roman Empire any day.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,533]

Can everybody just stop listing good to great scores that have more than one good track in them?

Now, one which definitely nobody can argue with:

the first thirty seconds of Gladiator. Bought the CD just for that track back in the day.

Of course, I'll be the first to admit that, yes, 'Patricide' is somewhat interesting too.

Bahahaha! You've got to be joking.

Now, now, Koray. Young minds, fresh ideas; be tollerant.